The week in review

Best vindication for Mark Spicer: The former Albemarle fire marshal, fired for attempting to erase a video of him hugging an arson suspect, successfully appeals a misdemeanor conviction for destroying public records, reports Reed Williams in the Daily Progress.

Best news for oenophiles: Wine lovers and wineries can ship bottles out of state, the Supreme Court rules 5-4 on May 16.

Best quote following the decision: "This is the best day for wine lovers since the invention of the corkscrew," Clint Bolick, counsel for the Institute for Justice, tells the Associated Press.

Latest contender in the 58th District race: Albemarle School Board member and Democrat Steve Koleszar takes on Republican incumbent Rob Bell for the district that includes Greene County, most of Fluvanna and precincts in the north, east and south of Albemarle.

Latest Scottie Griffin sighting: Cvillenews.com reports she's one of 17 applying for a $142,659-a-year school superintendent's job in Pulaski County, Arkansas.

Most confidential agreement: UVA prof James Sofka who is accused of inappropriate conduct toward the female Echols Scholars he once advised, says he's happy that he'll spend the next year on paid research leave, according to John Yellig in the Progress.

Least confidential: A judge refuses to impose a gag order on lawyers involved in lawsuits resulting from the Clifton Inn fire November 14, 2003 that killed two women.

Latest in the Joshua Torbick saga: The man arrested early July 1, 2004, almost immediately after Virginia's tougher DUI laws went into effect, pleads guilty May 10 to four felonies, including shooting into a Woodbrook house. After leaving, Torbick backed into a neighbor's house and caused an estimated $20,000 in damage. In October, police searched his York Place residence and found drugs, guns, and material that could be used to make pipe bombs.

Latest in the Ralph Sampson saga: The 1980s UVA basketball legend is arrested again for failing to pay child support. Sampson was last in court on the same charges in 2003.

Worst week for brandishing weapons: Sharon Lee Bobek and Michael George Boyle are arrested for felony child endangerment after a shot is fired at the Flow Automotive window on Pantops May 10. Former UVA basketball player Elton Brown is arrested May 11 for allegedly brandishing a gun outside Belk at Fashion Square Mall. And two Fluvanna elementary school students are charged with bringing two guns and a knife to school May 6.

Worst loss of forensics expertise: Sergeant Ralph Barfield announces his retirement after 28 years on the Charlottesville Police. Barfield was instrumental in advocating for the state's DNA database.

Best break for Albemarle first-time homebuyers: The county allocates $250,000 for down payment loans with interest deferred until the sale of the property.

Best news for Greene County: MZM, a national security firm, is buying the Coran Capshaw-owned former Technicolor plant and is expected to bring hundreds of new jobs, Kate Andrews and David Hendrick report in the DP.

Worst day for bad printing: May 12, when the photo of the Progress' new managing editor, McGregor McCance, is out of register on the front page. McCance moves from the Roanoke Times.